1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a sensor capable of monitoring operational parameters of a semiconductor device.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The performance of semiconductor devices can vary dependent upon the conditions under which the device is used. For example, performance characteristics, such as rise time, fall time, gain, bandwidth, linearity, frequency response, etc. of a semiconductor device will typically vary dependent upon the power supply voltage level at which the device is used and the temperature of the device. However, even where two devices of the same type are manufactured using the same fabrication equipment and operated under identical conditions, one device may still perform differently than the other. Such differences in performance typically arise because despite the fact that the same fabrication equipment and processing steps are used to form the device, minute differences in the process by which each individual device is formed can still occur. Such differences in the process by which an individual device is formed are typically more pronounced between devices formed on different semiconductor wafers, or between devices formed on different wafers and at different times (i.e., in different batches), but differences can even occur between devices formed on the same wafer (for example where a first device is located at an edge of the wafer and the other in a more central location). Because of these slight differences in the process by which an individual device is formed, the performance of one device may vary from that of another.
In many applications, such slight variations in the process by which a device is formed and any resulting differences in performance may be of little concern, or can be tolerated by the design of the electronic circuit or apparatus in which the device is used. However, in some applications, such differences in performance between devices of the same type may impact the operation of the electronic circuit or apparatus in which the device is used.